Keeping cars off the roads and pollution out of the air is a big job! It truly takes the entire community working together to create change. The Clean Air Campaign is fortunate to have friends across the region that, with creative flair, rally the community behind shared goals to help make our region a better place to live.

Our friends’ efforts go a long way in getting commuters on board with programs that promote less traffic and cleaner air.

• Groups such as the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition team up with our organization to help put the fun into clean commuting by orchestrating creative events like Bike to Work Week.
• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta promotes the importance of air quality in cooperation with The Clean Air Campaign by educating families about the negative effects air pollution has on children.
• Even local radio stations have jumped on the bandwagon by engineering promotions with The Clean Air Campaign that entertain, inform and engage community members, placing clean commuting in the limelight. Activities like the "Green Machine" hybrid giveaway catch people’s attention and get them thinking about how they can make better air choices.

Now, the eco-friendly, Atlanta-based restaurant chain, Ted’s Montana Grill, is sponsoring the 2nd annual Bison Stampede 5k on October 3 that will benefit four environmental organizations, including The Clean Air Campaign. It's fun to work with a Georgia-based business that bases so much of its success on sustainable practices and community goodwill. Join the herd by registering for the race here. I know you don’t want to miss this opportunity to run around downtown in a bison head hat, eat free bison sliders, rock out to Ben Deignan and at the same time help the environment! I thought so…see you October 3.

Bison Burgers at the Ted's Montana Grill - Bison Stampede.
Photo by: Sports in Motion

After having been spellbound during China's blockbuster Olympic presentation in August, most of us have moved on. However, I can't help but notice the unmistakable similarity between Atlanta and Beijing in each host city's post-Olympic experience.

In 1996 (The Clean Air Campaign's first year in existence) as in 2008, both cities wrestled with air quality and traffic challenges. Measures implemented to reduce traffic congestion and alleviate air pollution reached employers, commuters and industry. And guess what? They worked.

When the Olympics were in town, Atlanta roads were surprisingly navigable. Many employers allowed members of their workforces to telecommute – it sounded so futuristic then – in order to ease anticipated gridlock. The number of ozone days dipped dramatically in what is considered the peak of smog season. One study even found the number of asthma-related ER visits declined. These findings were a glimpse into what was possible as The Clean Air Campaign began its mission to improve quality of life in the region.

A similar phenomenon is taking root half a world away. With the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Beijing this week, residents are actually clamoring for a continuation of the stringent policies that city enacted. The measure that got the most attention was a mandate banning cars from driving on odd- or even-numbered days based on license plate numbers.

What would that be like if we chose to do that here?

One recent news story quotes a 48-year-old Beijing resident who declares, "The air hasn't been this clean since I was a child. The government needs to keep it this way."

Great quote. But does the responsibility fall squarely on policymakers to create change like this, or should we all be working toward it? Post a reply and let readers know your stance.